Two More Discs Missing in UK Data Fiasco

Higher-ups okayed sending files with personal info on 25M

(NEWSER) - Alistair Darling's disastrous week continued today as the British chancellor of the exchequer faced accusations of a cover-up in the lost-data fiasco, the Telegraph reports. Contrary to Darling's claim that the loss of 25 million people's data was an error by a junior administrator, newly released e-mails indicate senior tax officials knew about the decision to cut costs by not purging sensitive information before transferring the files. More»

25M missing records spell trouble for already shaky Labour

(NEWSER) - A day after Alistair Darling was forced to admit that the tax department had lost the personal data of 25 million citizens, the British chancellor was fighting to keep his job in the face of a hostile and incredulous press. "Beyond farce, past comprehension, criminally irresponsible and beneath contempt" was the assessment of one Times columnist. Darling insisted on morning talk shows he would continue in his job, but the press is less certain. More»

Tory-Liberal Dem coalition talks continue

(NEWSER) - Gordon Brown stepped down as prime minister and resigned as head of the Labour Party today, as it became clear that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are on the verge of forming a coalition government. David Cameron, the head of the Tories, is expected to visit Buckingham Palace today to accept the queen's formal invitation to form a government, the BBC reports . More»

Conservative Party didn't win majority but got most votes, seats

(NEWSER) - In the wake of yesterday's no-winner election in the UK, Conservative Party leader David Cameron says he plans to form a government even though he failed to secure a majority in Parliament, the Times of London reports. He has the support of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, who said Cameron has "first right" because his party won "more votes and more seats—although not an absolute majority." More»

(NEWSER) - Gordon Brown is livid and his colleagues in the Labour Party are ripping up copies of the Sun in public after Rupert Murdoch ended 12 years of support and backed Conservative David Cameron this week. “We don't need an Australian-American coming to our country with a paper that has never supported any progressive policies ... telling us how politics should be run in this country," said one union leader. More»